The present invention relates to a dispenser for housing and dispensing product, such as miniature batteries including zinc air cells used in hearing aids. As used herein, xe2x80x9cbatteryxe2x80x9d means one or more cells.
Handling of miniature batteries is difficult because of their small size. Direct physical handling of miniature batteries is typically required in order to remove the batteries from their packaging, to insert the batteries in the proper orientation into a device, and, in the case of air cells, to remove any individual tabbing associated with the cell prior to use. Tabbing is normally associated with metal air cells such as zinc air cells. The tabs limit the ingress of oxygen into the cell until such time as the cell is placed into service by covering openings located within the cell housing, typically on the underside of the cell in the what is referred to as the cathode can. The tab also functions to limit the transport of water vapor in or out of the cell and limits the ingress of carbon dioxide into the cell. Typically, the tab comprises an adhesive material covering one or more of the aforementioned openings, or air ports. Upon removal of the tab, the ports are exposed to the oxygen of the ambient environment, thereby enabling the cell to be activated and used in a device, such as a hearing aid. The challenge of handling miniature batteries in the manners outlined above is exacerbated in the event the user suffers from reduced dexterity, poor vision or other physical infirmity.
Efforts to address some of these issues are found in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,185 discloses a device for inserting a hearing aid battery into a hearing aid. The device comprises so-called xe2x80x9cpetalsxe2x80x9d joined together to form a multipetal structure with an air cell residing on each petal. The cells are individually tabbed, and each tab is then adhered to the petal. The cell is inserted into the hearing aid by gripping the multipetal structure and bringing the appropriate petal up close to the hearing aid battery door to enable the cell to be engaged within the door. The cell is then separated from the inserter using a wiping motion, purportedly leaving the tab adhered to the petal. The method of separating the cell from its associated tab and the inserter as disclosed in the ""185 patent places stresses on the hearing aid device, presenting the potential for damage to the device.
Typical packaging for miniature zinc air cells presents further problems. Common to packaging for miniature zinc air cells is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,700. The packaging disclosed therein consists of a thermoformed or molded blister rotatably attached to a paperboard card. The blister comprises multiple compartments each containing an individually tabbed cell or battery. A battery is dispensed from the package by rotating the blister to align a loaded compartment with a trap door accessible from the back of the card. This dispensing design has several defects associated with it. For example, the trap door can come open during transport and batteries will fall out. The trap door becomes weak and ineffective after multiple uses. The base of the dial can also separate or pull away from the card allowing batteries to fall out. Finally, the consumer must still handle the battery in order to remove the tab, properly orient the cell in connection with the device terminals and insert the cell into the device once the battery has been removed from the package.
Some consumers use a separate tool to assist them in loading miniature batteries into devices. For example, a device consisting of a magnet positioned at one end of an elongated wand has been used for this purpose. The tool can be easily misplaced and provides little aid in removing the individual tabbing associated with common zinc air cells.
One approach has been developed for addressing the need to house cells, dispense them from the package, untab them and insert them into a device. The approach is described in commonly-owned U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 09/658,201, 09/764,579 and 09/837046, the entire disclosures of said commonly-owned applications hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. In general, the approach of these applications is to provide a dispenser that functions to house cells or other products, dispense the cells or other products onto an integral landing and place the cells or products directly into a device or other location where the product is used. The dispenser described in this approach untabs the cell prior to insertion into a device without the need to physically handle either the cell or an associated tab, and therefore dramatically increases the ease with which miniature air cells can be used to power devices such as hearing aids. However, the dispenser of this approach requires two discrete actions to dispense a cell or other product onto the landing: the base and cover must be rotated with respect to each other to align a cell into a dispensing position, and a thumbpiece must be operated to untab the cell and transition it from the interior of the dispenser out onto the landing.
Handling of other small products including but not limited to pharmaceuticals such as pills, foodstuff such as candy, hardware such as screws, and the like can be equally difficult because of their size, particularly for those users suffering from reduced dexterity, poor vision or other physical infirmity. While the within invention is illustrated in connection with miniature cells, and in particular in connection with miniature zinc air cells, it will be appreciated that the within invention can also be utilized in connection with the transport, storage and dispensing of such other small products. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cproductxe2x80x9d is not limited to miniature cells or batteries, and fully comprehends such other small products as those identified above.
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide a product dispenser that acts as a structural package for housing and transporting product and a dispenser for removing product from the package and an inserter for manipulating and orienting product into a device or other end use location, without the need for multiple discrete dispenser operations.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a product dispenser that removes any direct handling of product prior to its insertion into a device or other end use location.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a product dispenser that obviates the need for direct handling of tab material in the case of a metal air cell such as a zinc air cell.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a product dispenser that both activates (by untabbing) and dispenses air cells such that the user does not have to handle the cell or the tabbing material before, during or after insertion into a device.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a product dispenser that eliminates the need for additional tools to handle and orient product for insertion or placement for end use.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a product dispenser that avoids unintended dispensing from the dispenser.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a refill cartridge for such a product dispenser.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a product dispenser that optionally allows the user to attach a refill cartridge after removal of a spent cartridge.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a product dispenser that allows the consumer to store used product for disposal or material recovery purposes.
The foregoing and additional objects of this invention will become fully apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.
The present invention provides for a product dispenser that is easy to use for storing and dispensing product, such as miniature batteries. The dispenser of the within invention obviates the need to handle the product at any point during the dispensing process or during the insertion or placement process of the product for its end use. The dispenser of the within invention achieves this result with a single action device, whereby a single manipulation of the dispenser of the within invention orients the product into a dispensing position, transfers the product from the interior of the dispenser to the exterior of the dispenser, untabs the product in the case of a zinc air cell product and removably retains the product on the exterior of the dispenser to facilitate final placement of the product without the need to ever directly touch the product.
To achieve this and other advantages, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention as embodied and described herein, the present invention provides for a product dispenser comprising a product platform, an adhesive strip and a base. The product platform comprises an upper surface and a lower surface and an opening through the platform. The adhesive strip comprises two major surfaces, one of which is free of adhesive and one with adhesive located on at least a portion thereof. The base comprises an upper surface and a lower surface and an opening through the base. The adhesive strip is threaded through both the product platform opening and the base opening and one end of the strip is attached to the lower surface of the base. The product platform and the base are fitted together so as to be rotatable with respect to each other about a common axis, with the lower surface of the product platform facing the upper surface of the base. The adhesive strip is positioned so that the nonadhesive surface of the strip is in contact with the upper surface of the product platform. Product, such as zinc air cells, are adhesively attached to the adhesive surface of the strip. In the case of zinc air cells, the adhesive strip functions as a tab until the cells are ready to be detabbed for activation and use. Rotation of either the base or the product platform so as to create relative motion between the two structures will cause the product to advance toward the opening in the product platform as the adhesive strip moves through the opening in the product platform. Product is separated from the adhesive strip as the strip moves through the product platform opening while the product follows an opposing path of travel. After separation from the adhesive strip, the product can be transitioned from the interior of the dispenser to the exterior of the dispenser.
In a preferred embodiment, a dispenser cover is also provided that aids in protecting the product during storage and transport, and also facilitates positioning the product in the product dispensing position and transitioning the product from the interior to the exterior of the dispenser. In this embodiment, a landing is also provided for removably retaining product on the exterior of the dispenser, enabling the user to grip the larger and more manageable dispenser rather than the product itself while orienting the product for final insertion into a device or other end use.
In another embodiment the bottom side of the base farther comprises a storage area for storing used product for disposal or material recovery purposes. The entire dispenser could be processed for material recovery or otherwise recycled. In the event the cover and the base are separable, the base alone could be processed for material recovery or otherwise recycled.
In another embodiment the cover is made of semi opaque material and the base or cover or both can be color coded to indicate various product characteristics, such as size.
In another embodiment the cover further comprises a handle for controlling the rotation of the base with respect to the product platform.
These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.